Fishing Industry Hammered by Gulf Oil Spill

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description:  The petroleum and fishing industries have a long and uneasy intertwined history in the Gulf of Mexico. WSJ’s Andy Jordan looks at how the growing gulf oil spill is hurting Louisiana fishermen who supply around one-third of the U.S.’s seafood.

Source: Marketwatch.com – video report
 
Date: 05/05/2010

Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/fishing-industry-hammered-by-gulf-oil-spill/41612D0E-B338-464D-A15E-5885B1D227D6

Questions for discussion:

  • Can the businesses mentioned in this report thrive together or is the situation one where what is good for one is detrimental to another?
  • Can government intervention help solve this conflict of business interests? Explain your thinking.

Yesterday’s market swerve: fat fingers, glitch, or cyber-warfare?

Posted by & filed under Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description: Theories about yesterday’s stock market swoon, where within a matter of 20 minutes, the stock market plunged by 1,000 points and then nearly completely recovered, are abounding. Fortune asked Rishi Narang, founder of the hedge fund Telesis Capital and author of Inside the Black Box, to share the theories he’s heard and handicap them in terms of likelihood and plausibility.

Source:  CNNMoney.com

Date: 05/08/2010

Link: http://money.cnn.com/2010/05/07/markets/market_swerve.fortune/index.htm
 
Questions for discussion:

What were the possible explanations given for the sudden stock market change in values?

Which do you think is most likely correct?

On Her Team, It’s All About Bench Strength

Posted by & filed under Part 3 Management: Empowering People to Achieve Business Objectives.

Description:  This interview with Sharon Napier, chief executive of Partners + Napier, an ad agency based in Rochester, was conducted and condensed by Adam Bryant.

Source: NYTimes.com
 
Date: 05/07/2010

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/09/business/09corner.html?ref=business

Questions for discussion:

  • What lessons did you learn by reading this article?
  • Which comment do you think was the most insightful?
  • What would add to the commentary about the relationship between sports and management?

The New Money Rules for Recent Graduates

Posted by & filed under Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description: Final exams over, newly minted college graduates may still have some studying to do as they prepare to plan their financial future.

Source: NYTimes.com

Date: 05/07/2010

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/08/your-money/08money.html?ref=business 

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize what you learned from the article.
  • Which item in the article will affect you the most?

digits: Are Netbooks Losing Their Sizzle?

Posted by & filed under Part 4: Marketing Management.

Description:  Pricier, more powerful notebook computers are sucking some of the steam from netbooks, the low-priced darlings that helped fuel sales for the PC industry in the past two years. Stacey Delo discusses the trend with Justin Scheck and Eric Savitz.

Source: Marketwatch.com – video report
 
Date: 04/26/2010

Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/digits-are-netbooks-losing-their-sizzle/42166B87-ED28-4BAE-9080-67B26EF0B633

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the opinions expressed for each product group?
  • What future do you see for the different devices?
  • Will people own multiple products or decide to live with the “best” one that suits them most of the time?
  • What implications are there for marketers?

Goldman’s Shares Plunge on Inquiries and Downgrades

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description:  How much trouble is Goldman Sachs really in? One answer: About $21 billion worth. That’s how much the vaunted Wall Street bank has lost in market value since it was engulfed in a fraud accusation two weeks ago.

Source: NYTimes.com
 
Date: 04/30/2010

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/01/business/01goldman.html?ref=business

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the legal and ethical problems facing Goldman?
  • Do you believe the firm will be punished financially even more than it already has as the case progresses?
  • What message does this case send to other firms?
  • Is there a any commonality between the problems faced by Goldman and BP, after the oil rig disaster?

Consumers Help Drive U.S. Economy to 3.2% Growth Rate

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment.

Description: The United States economy has expanded for three quarters in a row, the Commerce Department said on Friday, helped along by consumer spending. Now the question is, Will the jobs follow?

Source: NYTimes.com

Date: 04/30/2010

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/01/business/economy/01econ.html?ref=business

Questions for discussion:

  • What does this report have to say about the important role played by the consumer?
  • Given this view, what do you believe is likely to happen over the next year?
  • Which businesses are likely to see improving sales and which are more likely to have difficulty? 
  • What can all businesses do to attract more customers and improve their respective recoveries?

Gulf of Mexico oil spill could cost BP $3 billion or more

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment, Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description: There are a lot of uncertainties right now about the Gulf oil spill. But one thing is clear: In addition to the intangible loss of wildlife, it’s going to cost BP a lot of money.

Source:  CNNMoney.com

Date: 04/30/2010

Link: http://money.cnn.com/2010/04/30/news/economy/bp_gulf_oil_spill_cost/index.htm 

Questions for discussion:

  • Do you believe BP has behaved in a socially responsible manner?
  • How would the models for social responsibility that are discussed in the textbook apply in this situation?
  • Are there any questions here about ethical behavior? Explain your answer.
  • Are the financial costs to the company adequate measures to guide corporate behavior? Explain your answer?
  • What other costs are there beyond those that affect BP?

Building Up America: Kansas town rebuilds after tornado

Posted by & filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment.

Description: Next month marks the third anniversary of a tornado that nearly wiped the small town of Greensburg, Kansas off the map. The town has come back and in the process become “ground-zero” for green energy. Our Tom Foreman has a first-hand look in this “Building Up America” report.

Source:  CNNMoney.com – video report

Date: 04/21/2010

Link:  http://cnn.com/video/?/video/tech/2010/04/21/foreman.bua.green.town.cnn 

Questions for discussion:

  • What resources were required to rebuild this community?
  • How important are the participation of government and community leaders?
  • What lessons can be shared with other communities facing economic problems?
  • Which businesses might be more attracted to the community now that this project has succeeded thus far?

Apple Stock to Reach $1,000?

Posted by & filed under Part 6 Managing Financial Resources.

Description:  Will the iPad propel Apple’s stock to $1,000? Wealth Adviser columnist James Altucher tells Dow Jones Newswires reporter Shelly Banjo why Apple stock will soar and why its competitors have a lot to lose.

Source: Marketwatch.com – video report
 
Date: 04/21/2010

Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/apple-stock-to-reach-1000/B55F573F-3282-4F66-B34C-C63EB8FD120F

 Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the reasons given for such optimistic predictions of Apple’s future stock value.
  • Do you think they are fair or biased in some way?
  • What would happen to these projections if consumers reject an “Apple Universe” of hardware and software and instead opt for interconnected products from firms such as Google, Microsoft, and Research In Motion?